


Your Flowers are Hand Grenades

by orphan_account



Category: Guardians of Childhood - William Joyce, Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Attempted Kidnapping, Attempted Murder, Baby Fic, Break Up, Canonical Character Death, Drama, F/M, First Kiss, First Love, First Time, Gen, Growing Up, Kid Fic, Romance, Sexual Content, Tragedy, Underage Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-04
Updated: 2013-06-16
Packaged: 2017-12-04 06:27:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/707591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Birth of Mother Nature was not an affair without joy, nor was it one without pain, but it was special all the same. It was nearly as special as the birth of the Man in the Moons, (just as special, depending on who you asked) but where one occured in a matter of hours, the other's birth was years in the making.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In the Contours of your Heart

Footfall sounds like skipping stones as a young maid hurries towards the room at the very end of the Tsar's private halls, slipping past the golden doors, she peers into the shadows to see the sunlight that reins in the Tsar's room has yet to stripe the golden duvet of the bed inside the room. Taking a step towards the bed, she squints her eyes and smiles when she spies the fair blond head amongst the dim gold covers. Darting around, she reaches out gathering the little body out from beneath the sheets. "Rise and shine Miss Pitchiner!"

The child swings a careless fist in her direction, but the maid ignores it in her giddiness. "What for?" Comes the belligerent demand from the sleep slurred mouth.

"Tsarina Lunar just had her baby!" She gushes dragging the girl out as she tries to worm her way back into her bed.

One crystal blue eye peaking open, the girl-almost adolescent-frowns. "So?" She grumbles.

Growing her eyes in exaggeration and stamping her foot as she holds back a scream, the young woman-with one final yank-brings the girl to the edge of the bed. "The Tsar wants you there!" She bursts with sudden exasperation.

Scrubbing sleep from her eyes, the girl pouts her petal-pink lips at the maid and asks, "Why?"

With more patience than she feels, the maid explains, "The Tsar and Tsarina have a surprise for you."

Plucking at her sunset-hued nightgown, the girl lifts a hand to stifle a yawn. "No thank you." She murmurs, making to turn back into her bed. Any humor she had completely lost, the maid wrestles the girl from the bed and with a strong hold on her wrist drags her out of the bedroom. "You can't do this!" The girl cries.

Glaring down at the slender beauty, the maid shakes her head. "Oh _yes,_ I _can._ " She says, dragging the girl to the Tsar's gigantic doors. Knocking once, she leaves the girl there to wait alone as she goes to prepare new sheets for the bed in the Tsar's room.

* * *

The girl stares at the door with churning stomach, it's too big- _everything's too big_ -she just wants to go home to the cottage she and papa shared before the fears, before he went to guard the golden gate-the foreboding doors swing open to reveal the Tsar's small stout form. He grins down at her, "Ah! Seraphina!" He cries happily, "Come in! Come in!" Snagging her arm, he brings her into the private room. With little effort, the girl's eyes focus on the Tsarina laid fast asleep in the bed, one breast exposed and the other covered by a creature making suckling noises.

Nearly bouncing, the man pulls her over to the bed and points her to sit. She falls gingerly down on the sheets and watches with vague horror as the Tsarina's eyes shutter open for her to _smile_ at her. The girl watches with a blank face, she can't _imagine_ what Tsarina Luna is smiling about; half-nude, sweaty and with a _beast_ sucking her breast, Seraphina knows _she_ wouldn't be smiling. The woman greets-croaks-"Goodmorning Sera."

Hands tucked neatly into her lap, Seraphina nods her head in acknowledgement. "And to you Tsarina Luna."

"Orion," Tsarina calls, "Take your son." Tsar Luna rushes forward and detaches the parasite from the woman's breast, it gives an awful wail, but the Tsar quickly soothes it by putting his finger in his mouth. "Wonderful..." Tsarina sighs drifting off into restful slumber.

Tsar glances to Seraphina, "Here," he says dropping the wriggly thing into her arms. She gazes at it aghast as it squirms and fusses in her hands.

The man chuckles. "Like this Seraphina," he whispers arranging the thing in her arms so it stops its squalling.

"What _is_ it?" The girl asks in disgust.

The Tsar frowns at her. "You're joking? You _have_ seen a baby before?"

Gazing down at the red, wrinkly being, Seraphina asks in a hushed whisper, " _This_ is a baby? I thought...I thought they were less wrinkly."

Coming to lean over the girl and infant, The Tsar says kindly "He's not yet an hour old."

The baby opens one clouded eye and waves its little arm around, pursing her lips, Seraphina questions, "Where did you get it?"

The Tsar's eyes enlarge with astounding speed. "Hasn't-"

"No, no one's told me where babies come from, papa's been busy with the campaign, you know," Seraphina hums as the little creature's hand clasps around the locket hanging around her neck.

The man thumps his finger against his chin, "I'll have Ursa tell you later." The girl nods and gently tries to pry the baby's hand off her locket. Gazing fondly at the girl and infant, the Tsar inquires, "What do you think of him Seraphina?"

Letting go of the little hand, Seraphina studies the man with critical eyes. "He's alright," she answers slowly.

"Any ideas for a name for your brother?" The Tsar goes on to question.

Seraphina doesn't miss anything, though, "He's not my brother." She frowns at the man, wondering just what has addled his mind.

Gazing at the girl, he tells her, "Not by blood, no, but you are under my Guardianship, that's close enough, no?"

The baby's hand finds her locket again, enclosing the bitty hand and her locket with her own, Seraphina stares down at the wrinkly red face and tries to memorize it; she works her tongue around the unfamiliar words and utters in quiet awe, "My brother..."

She doesn't need to look up to see the warmth on the Tsar's beaming face, she can feel it just as she feels the sun's warmth on a cool day. The little baby Tsar opens both his eyes and his tiny mouth opens in a gummy smile, it radiates a heat Seraphina thinks she'll never feel from anyone else.


	2. You Speak with an Innocence

Leading the toddling prince by his pudgy hand, Seraphina relishes the feeling of green grass beneath her bare toes. "Okay Perseus, I'm going to let your hand go," she tells the not yet a year old baby, then wagging her finger in his round face, he goes cross-eyed as she orders in stern tones. " _But,_ don't go wandering off, okay? Or I won't pick a flower for you."

The infant glances up at the girl, seeing her frowning countenance, the baby murmurs a serious, "Bah." and plops down into the lawn to immediately rip up a handful of grass and shove it into his curious mouth.

Seraphina groans, " _No!_ " She scowls, shaking her head for emphasis.

Tsarina Lunar, coming up behind the pair, chuckles at the sight. "He's still very little Sera," she explains to the girl.

Seraphina pouts and crosses her arms. "I don't know _why_ he has to stick _everything_ in his mouth, though," she grumbles. Tsarina just laughs and reaches down hefting her son on to her petit hip.

"Pick some flowers starling, I'm sure they'll look lovely in Orion's study." Tsarina suggests, waddling over to a nearby marble bench where she sinks down with relieved sigh. Bouncing the little Tsar in her lap she coos, "You're getting _sooo_ big! You tire mummy out so quick!" The baby blinks his amber eyes and opens his mouth in a happy gurgle, one little hand coming to tangle in her curtain of curls.

Eying her Tsarina, Seraphina questions doubtfully, "You'll make sure he doesn't eat anything funny while I find some flowers?"

With a good-natured eye roll, the woman nods her head. "Yes starling." Squinting her eyes, Seraphina gazes at Ursa for a moment before descending her head in acceptance and turning away to disappear into an off shoot of the garden where some of her favorite flowers grow. She crouches down and hums a war tune as she plucks the very best from the stock of flowers. Eyes raking over the one in her hand for impurities, she hears a stamped of feet hitting the ground.

"Tsarina Lunar!" Someone yells, drawing away from the flowers, Seraphina goes to peer around the edge of the hedges to see several knights in their gleaming golden glory hovering in front of her Tsarina and little Tsar.

Tsarina frowns in an unfamiliar way and brings her baby closer to her. "What is it boys?" She asks.

Breathless, one reports, "There are reports coming in-bad ones-they say a man by the name of Pitch Black is leading a revolt of the fearlings!"

A gasp comes from the woman, her normally sun-kissed face pale and sick. "No," she murmurs, "How...?" The knights glance between each other, then, one kneels down, offering a white handkerchief to the queen. She takes it up in her fingers and dabs at her eyes, "Why would someone _do_ something like this?"

Still kneeling, the knight, with big sympathetic eyes, says softly, "That's not all my Tsarina."

Choking on a sob, the little Tsar whines in his mother's arms as Ursa struggles to question, "What _else_ is there my boys?"

"Tsarina Ursa Lunar..." The knight exhales, "This man-Pitch Black-he wears the face of General Kozmotis Pitchiner."

Seraphina falls back from the hedge with numb fingers and a barely concealed cry, Tsarina Lunar does not do the same, she wails and shrieks, "No! It _can't_ be!" She refuses. "It's always the best of us! Always the brightest that fall!" She sobs, Seraphina hears little Perseus echo his mother's pains with his own howls and tears, but no matter how she wishes to join, Seraphina is too far shocked to cry.

Forcing herself to peek around the hedge, she sees Tsarina Lunar grab the knight's arm with sudden ferocity. "No one is to tell Sera, understand?" She demands, "The girl doesn't need to know, not unless we can help it..." she fades off, letting the knight go.

Taking a breath, the girl tries not to feel affronted that her Tsarina did not think she could handle the news, but then again...Ursa was just trying to soften the blow, wasn't she? There was nothing ill behind her intentions at least, Seraphina knew. Stealing herself, she shifts back to the flowers, ripping several from the ground with little care. Releasing one gigantic breath, she plasters a wide smile on her ruddy cheeks and steps out from the bushes.

"Tsarina!" She calls, "Look, aren't they wonderful?" She implores holding out the gift for the woman's inspection. Tsarina's swollen face trembles as she makes her face lift in a smile (it's more of a cringe), opening her arms, Seraphina falls into them with ease beside her sniffling prince.

"They are _perfect_." She mumbles into Seraphina's hair.

Finding little comfort from the warm arms, Seraphina stares at the flowers with miserable eyes. There are tears in some of the leaves, blemishes on the silk petals-a few are missing even-none, not one, is perfect. But, all notions of perfect be it in flowers or life, have long since left Seraphina; she knows with all her aching heart perfection only belongs to innocents and she is an innocent no longer. She hasn't been innocent since the day her father left her to fight the fearlings, she prays she'll see him yet (her gut tells her she'll only be crushed when they meet again).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character Names:  
> Man in the Moon - Perseus  
> Mother Nature - Seraphina  
> Tsar Lunar - Orion  
> Tsarina Lunar - Ursa


	3. I See the Warning Signs

She's ten now-her birthday forgotten in the turmoil plaguing the Lunaff Empire-but it matters little to her now. The fear grows stronger with every passing day; (no one says it, but she knows it's because of father) keeping her fingers twined in her little Perseus's flaxen hair she strains to hear the Tsar's speech through the heavy doors. Nudging her shoulder against the golden surface, she manages to open it a sliver. She strains her neck to peer out with one orb of blue.

She alights at what she sees; her great Tsar strained to full height (no matter how miniscule) shoulders tense, but forcibly pulled back, the Tsarina just a step behind and the royal knights gathered in an open circle allowing the crowds to see their Tsar. "...my dear people..." Finally catching her Tsar's voice, she eagerly moves her ear to the crack and listens with heightened emotions. "I'll do everything mortally possible to stop this rampage of fear, we've driven it back before we can do it again!" He rallies, but they are no cheers (not like when she had been a little girl, and she and papa came to hear the speech for the first campaign).

"My sons are gone! The fearlings snatched them in the night!" One person howls.

"My wife and I take turns watching our daughter throughout the night, neither of us have slept well in months!" Another cries.

"The villains attacked my village! They left it in ruins and families massacred!" Someone else screams.

Seraphina's fingers taunt in her love-brother's hair, he snuffles, she lessens her hold and soothes him with quiet shushes. The complaints and accusations mount and hang heavy in the air, she hears feet stamp and metal clank as the knights keep the populace at bay. Shifting her little Tsar from her lap into her arms, the girl makes to run from the door (maybe the castle), when The Tsarina's voice rings out like a beacon in a storm.

"Stop!" She demands, "This is what the fearlings want! They want us divided, it makes us easier prey!" She shouts, from her spot, Seraphina can imagine the little woman's eyes scanning the crowd with firm, but loving (nothing else would fit) eyes. "Does it _please_ you to be prey?" She inquires, "Do you _want_ this empire to fall? This empire that's protected, loved and honored you since its begining?" Murmurs like a wave crescendo through the crowd and cheers intermingled with agreement roars up in grand style. "Will you trust your Tsar? Trust your Tsar to lead you again to peace? Trust him as you would trust your father or your mother?" She demands of them.

"Yes!"

"For you our Tsarina!"

"For the Tsar!"

"For the empire!"

The praise strengthens with each passing moment, it builds until song breaks out among the people and this, this causes Seraphina to relax. A breathless laugh spouting from her lips, she tries to stop the trembling of her limbs and whispers to herself "It's okay, it's alright, everything's going to be fine." She knows though, the Lunaff Empire is crumbling, her father brought the fear to its knees and now he'll bring the empire to its own. It's only a matter of time, (she only prays that she'll be long dead when the remnants of the Golden Empire are extinguished).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's really short...I'll make the next one a ton longer.


	4. You Hurt Because I Love you

Blinking at the sudden light, she sees a courtyard of ever-changing greens, decorated with spots and splotches of the rainbow, it's the Tsarina's garden ( _but it can't be, the fearlings and shadows have bled it to monochrome_ ) Drinking in the sight, she takes a sharp inhale to realize She's pressed against a strong, lean chest. Long arms trap her close as two warm hands enclose her own hands and the tickling sensation between them. "You know why I must go, don't you Seraphina?" A sad voice inquires. ( _She remembers this, it's the day papa left_ ) Seraphina doesn't say anything, her heart hammering too hard in her chest and her mouth muted from the effort to hold back her tears. The man sighs, but it is not angry nor is it sad; it's understanding and Seraphina wants to hate him for it. He shouldn't feel empathetic to her plight, after all, he's the one giving up his life to guard a pit of fearlings, ( _but how selfish she'd been then, how petulant_ ).

"I know you're upset," he murmurs, "I wish it didn't have to be this way, but..." he fades off and she can feel him shaking his head. Shifting, he fallen back dragging her and the little fluttering captive into his lap. "I'll write you every chance I have my Seraphina." Seraphina swallows thickly. "I hope you'll write me back." Resting his pointed chin on her blond head he goes on and say, "I want you to behave for the Tsar and Tsarina, it's a shooting star in a million that they've decided to take you in." She feels a breathy chuckle in chest as he comments. "The Tsarina will have her baby soon, maybe it'll be a little girl; here's your chance to have that sister or brother you asked me for."

Seraphina shivers, she'd rather have her papa over a stupid brother or sister any day.

Papa seems to pick up on her suppressed emotions and lifts his head so he mak kiss an adoring kiss to her crown. "You understand, don't you? This isn't the end my starling." He whispers to her, opening his hands and hers, Seraphina gasps at the sight of the little blue butterfly floating away. "See that? The butterflies are only a small beauty of our Golden Empire, only a fraction of why I love it..." ( _She remembers what happens now, she yells, she screams, she tells him she_ hates _him, but, no, not this time)._

Altering memory to dream, Seraphina twists in her papa's lap and hides her face in his uniform as sobs quake and struggle to break from her. "Don't you love me papa? Don't you love me more than the empire?" It hurts to ask and she doesn't know what this dream papa will say, yet she prays her mind won't betray her and hopes her father's memory endures purely still.

The man pries her from him, gazing into soulful blue eyes, Seraphina sees for the first time how torn her father is. "I love you Sera, so, _so much_ , I want you to be able to marvel at our beautiful empire, I want you to learn to love it as I do...but you can't do that if's overrun by fear." He confides in her.

"That's why you have to guard the gate?" Seraphina sniffs.

The General visibly looks relieved as he nods his head. "Yes, so you and generations to come may fall in love and love our empire."

"I'll miss you so, _so much_ papa." Seraphina mumbles into his coat.

Cuddling her close, The Great General kisses her hair. "I will too my little Seraphina." Like a dying flame, the landscape flickers first, then her papa seems to be swept away in a swirl of spiraling colors into the darkness of her mind (she wonders if the fearlings took him the same way).

Seraphina sits up in bed, sweat and tears damp against her face. A body shifts somewhere in the dark, "Are you alright Miss Pitchiner?" A knight asks coming into view.

Huddling back into the shadows, the girl wipes at her cheeks and smiles weakly at the knight. "I'm fine, thank you." Then turning her head, she sees Perseus no longer rests beside her. "Where's...?"

"Tsarina took him back to his bed." The knight answers.

Hand curling in the mused spot, she finds that it is still warm. "He'll be back within the hour." She remarks.

"I know, but..." he trails off helpless, Seraphina doesn't need him to tell her why. She knows the Tsarina worries, she knows she fears that Pitch Black will seek her out and she doesn't want her only son there if it happens.

"Light a candle for me, will you?" The adolescent implores. "I don't think I feel like sleeping anymore."

The knight moves. "Of course Miss Pitchiner," he agrees doing as she asked by lighting several candles around the room. Pulling up the big book of fairy tales from beneath the mattress, Seraphina hunkers down in her sheets to wait for morning (but darkness remains forever on the horizon).


	5. Bondage on Most Days

Seraphina listens with half an ear as the Tsar and Tsarina try to explain why she and little Perseus are receiving yet another knight for protection. "So you see, Sir Nightlight will guard Perseus personally, but Seraphina he hardly leaves your side these days so think of him as your Guardian as well." Tsar says to her.

Letting her gaze meander from the spot above the couples heads to the tiny body snoozing in her lap, Seraphina can't help but scratch the little Tsar's scalp. "Are you going to bring him in now?" She inquires, "We might as well get the pleasantries out of the way." She sneers.

"Sera!" Tsarina rebukes more in habit than actual displeasure.

Glowering at the two, Seraphina points out quite coldly, "He's the fourth knight this _year_ and you've been assigning them to personally Guard us since I was _twelve,_ I'm almost fourteen now." At the Tsar's tired face and Tsarina's fretful fluttering, she goes on to spit out, "It's always been _me_ who saves your son from the attacking nightmares, I don't know why you keep bringing in men for the slaughter."

"You know why-" Tsar begins, but Seraphina cuts him off with great relish.

"Yes! I do; it's because we can't let the people know how strong the nightmares are, it's because Perseus needs all the protection he can get, it's because it's _unbecoming_ for a girl of my age to be skilled in dispatching nightmares, it's because I don't even know why anymore! You never stick with an answer!" She shouts at them and little Perseus stirs in her lap, blinking those blue eyes that remind her of the rivers of yester-year (before the nightmares tainted them to a burbling black).

"What's wrong Sera?" The little boy yawns.

Crossing her arms, she levels the two adults with a mean glare. "Tsar and Tsarina have found us yet _another_ knight to guard us."

The little boy sits up and Seraphina can't resist the urge to right his askew hair as he formulates a proper response. "Momma and papa wouldn' hafta if they didn' keep leavin'." He states.

Gut churning guiltily, Seraphina drops her gaze from the Tsar and Tsarina; for if she sees the guilt that lays in their eyes as well she will not be able to stop herself from tearing the innocence from her love-brother's stare. The Tsar clears his throat and nods at his toddler son. "Yes, you are quite right." He concurs to the boy's belief.

Sinking boneless in her silken chair, Seraphina hugs her little Tsar close and exhales. "Just bring him in," she whispers.

Some of the tension fades from the couple and the Tsarina smiles. "Of course, starling." Turning, the Tsar knocks on the door alerting the guards on the other side to admit the newest knight.

A moment later, the door falls away and a skinny boy little older than Seraphina steps in. Seraphina's hand comes to shield her gaping mouth, but even she can't hide the rare blush that colors her cheeks. Ogling the boy dressed in ill-fitting armor with the sandy-blond hair more common to the plebian than those of the well-to-do, Seraphina finds herself contradicting every emotion she knows she should feel-disgusted, insulted and angry-in fact, Seraphina thinks she's in _love_.

The boy bows to the Tsar, but he gives no greeting, no apology; not even as Orion's face takes on a purple-red hue. Stepping up to the Gaurds, the Tsar narrows his eyes at them and hisses, "What is the meaning of this? A _boy_? What sort of _joke_ is this?

The two guards shift and glance at one another before the one on the left pulls a piece of parchment from his breast pocket. Quietly (fearfully), the man offers, "Here my Tsar, this will explain everything."

Beyond furious, beyond weary, beyond stressed, the smaller man snatches the letter from the guard's hand and tears into it. His eyes scan it quickly, though, not as quickly as his shoulders slump and his eyes seem to dim a bit more. Coming to face his wife, the Tsar whispers, "His father was killed personally by Pitch Black on their way to the palace, he's the last of his family." Orion sighs, deep wrinkles etched between his brow.

Tears pool in Ursa's eyes. "When will this madness cease?" She murmurs.

The Tsar shakes his head, yet his eyes never break from the letter. "Boy," he calls, the teenager perks up, awaiting Orion's next words. Lifting his gaze to meet the teenagers, the Tsar tells him, "You are welcome to take up your father's title as Sir Nighlight, but..." he trails off. "I want you to know now that you are likely to die in protecting my son and Miss Seraphina," He warns the teenager.

Nightlight's pale green eyes sharpen and a hard set comes to his mild mouth, he nods (but it is without a sound, a word).

The older man sags in a mixture of relief and guilt, "Alright," he whispers. Beckoning for Ursa, he murmurs, "I'll leave you to it."

Ursa glides to his side and loops arms with the Tsar. "Come my husband," she soothes, "We have many duties to finish." And the couple are gone, the guards right behind them; leaving Seraphina, Perseus and Nightlight alone.

Perseus slips from Sera's lap and approaches their newest knight. Reaching up, the little Tsar pats the too large breast plate. "You'll do," he mutters eyes strangely lit.

A faint smile rises on the mute teenager's face, one hand comes to cover the tiny one resting on the gleaming gold of his suit, (Seraphina's heart pangs at the familiarity). Seraphina swallows and pushes herself up from the bench she rested so comfortably; Sweeping over to him, eyes fluttering and chin held high, she let's a slow smile eclipse her face. Holding out a hand for him, she greets, "Serahpina Pitchiner."

He stares at her hand, then lifts those pale eyes to meet her deep blues. She holds strong and eventually, He takes her hand, but instead of shaking it, he brings it close enough to his mouth for her to feel his warm breath on her bare skin. Her lips parts in surprise as she realizes what he is to do, yet before she can retract her hand, his chapped lips brush the back of her hand in a chaste kiss. She fights the urge; however, Seraphina can't stop the way her heart swoons. Yes, she's _definitely_ in love.

Little Perseus lifts his face from where he's stuck between them and with a pearly white smile on his round face, he says to her, "He'll do."

Smiling back down at her love-brother, Seraphina nods her head and concurs, "Yes, he'll do alright." Glancing to Nightlight, she finds herself giddy at the boyish grin he beams at them.


	6. Into the Blue

In the room faded of color, Seraphina squints down at her sampler with increasing irritation; the candles hardly give off any light these days too. Sighing, she barely glances away when her needle pricks her finger.

"Da-ouch!" She hisses, bringing the scarlet droplet to her lips.

Littler Perseus looks up from his play of rocket ships and soldiers. "You okay Sera?" He asks anxiously, glancing to him, then Nightlight tucked away in the corner of the room watch the goings steadily; she smiles.

"Of course! It takes more than a prick to bring down a general's daughter!" She enthuses.

The tiny, moon-faced boy giggles and rolls up from his stomach to walk over to her side. Resting his arms languidly across her lap, the boy begs, "Won't you tell me about him, Sera?" The smile stays, but by strength alone. Reaching out to thread her fingers through her love-brother's hair, she tries to hide her pain.

"I don't know little Tsar..." She sighs.

"Pleeeaaase!" He whines, supple lip protruding in a masterful pout.

Sera feels her strength failing; fighting the quavering in her voice, she whispers, "As you wish my little Tsar." The child doesn't cheer, nor does he grin; instead, he pulls himself up in to the warmth of her lap and rests gently against her heart.

"Thank you Seraphina." He murmurs, tiny fingers tracing the fine stitching of her neckline.

Seraphina's heart throbs, only her love-brother could do this to her. Setting aside her womanly arts, the teenager brings the child closer as she brings up her knees locking him in a safe embrace. Eyes straying as she gathers her thoughts, she sees Nightlight staring straight at them. Beckoning him with a hand, she remarks, "You may know the tales they tell of the Great General, but you don't know him."

Nightlight rises to his full height as he comes to her side, pulling along a chair from the desk. Setting up beside the pair, he leans in face unusually solemn and one hand resting on the hilt of his lance (does he fear mere mention will summon him). Satisfied that her boys will give only their full attention, Seraphina begins;

"He was a gentle man by nature, he preferred butterflies to weapons, books to battles, but...he was master of strategy; the more I think on it, the more I see that it's why people consider him so great. Once, he told me that he fought so hard because he loved me; I didn't understand." She whispers, eyes gazing sadly into Perseus's. "I think I understand now; he wanted me safe, he wanted me to live a life free of fear, one where I could indulge in butterflies and books...a life where I wouldn't have to be a savior or a saint." After a pause, she utters, "A life where I wouldn't have to be like him."

Eyes shining true, Perseus anxiously asks, "He's fighting that man Pitch Black? Isn't he? If he's so great he has to!"

Seraphina exchanges a guilty look with Nightlight. Brushing back flaxen bangs, the girl kisses her love-brother's forehead. "How I wish he was, Perseus." She tells him.

Blinking back tears, the little boy questions, "Is he dead? Dead like Nightlight's family?"

Trembling from the suppressing of her sobs, Seraphina squishes her little Tsar's face to her chest and warbles, "I think so."

The little boy's fingers intertwine in her long hair. "'m sorry Sera, but you got me an' momma and papa and Nightlight..." he consoles with all the empathy of a four-year old.

Clinging to him, Seraphina looks to Nightlight whose eyes cloud with more than grief. Seeing her seeing him, Nightlight, with great care reaches out to her; his skinny arm pulling the two of them into his chest.

Lifting her lips to the boy's ear, she whispers into it, "I'm sorry Nightlight, my father he killed yours and you didn't have to listen to me and-"

Swiftly, his head turns and his lips press hard against hers. When he pulls away, Seraphina realizes something rare has happened; she can't think of a thing to say. His pale eyes are gentle and one hand toys with a strand of fine hair as his other covering Perseus's eyes. "Night _light_!" The little boy whines, tugging at the long fingers that shield him from seeing his love-sister's speechless face.

Fingers brushing her little Tsar's lips, the girl murmurs, "Hush Perseus." Eyeing the older teenager with a mixture of awe and critical doubt; Seraphina whispers, "Can we do that again some time?"

Nightlight's eyes go wide with unhidden surprise and his face lights up with an eager smile. Leaning in, he pecks her lips-a promise-smiling back at him, she touches her finger pads to his lips. "I can't wait." She confides.

"Seeerraaa! Niiiightliiiight!" Perseus moans, struggling against them in earnest.

Laughing, Sera hugs her love-brother to her. "Calm down starling!" She giggles, "Or I won't tell you a story tonight."

Hands securely to himself, Nightlight returns to his side of the room leaving Seraphina to deal with the gaping Perseus. "You can't!" He protests, "No one's stories are as good as yours!" He declares.

Teasing smirk upon her face, she glances to Nightlight who smiles shyly back. "Well," she mutters, "You'll have to behave now, won't you?" She chides.

Nodding his head vigorously, the little Tsar agrees. "I promise I'll be good!"

Lips lilting up, the girl nudges him from her lap and pats his bottom once. "Alright then, get to playing." She orders playfully.

The boy bubbles with laughter, but does as instructed; soon, it's as if their chat never happened.


	7. I Wish Forever was Tangible

Seraphina can't be sure all first romances are like this; she's never spent much time with any girls (or boys for that matter) of her age. Now with the threat of Pitch Black right out their window...she never sees anyone but Perseus, the Tsar and Tsarina, and of course, Nightlight. They don't touch too much during the day, sometimes their bodies brush together when they're close or they squeeze each others hands when Perseus corrals them into some childish game and sometimes-if their feeling extremely brave-they'll share a kiss. It's late in the night, the moon shines bright-even with all the darkness choking the life of the Lunaff Empire; the little Tsar is asleep in his own bed for once and together Nightlight and her cuddle close. Nightlight doesn't talk, but Seraphina doesn't mind; he's expressive in his expressions and hand movements and she can't help but think it's why their relationship hasn't yet been ousted. Fingers gliding down his chest, the teenager presses a kiss to the older teen's chin.

"Sometimes," she whispers, "I think I'll die before I ever get the chance to grow up." She confides in her knight. The arm around her waist tightens and Nightlight's other hand comes to tangle in her hair. Glancing up into his face, she sees an oddly desperate look on his face. She chuckles and places a kiss on his too tense brow, "Calm my star," she murmurs, "It's simply a passing thought, after all, we've pulled ourselves from the darkness before; why can't we do it again?" She tells him. Nightlight looks no less worried at her words, humming she rests her head on his shoulder and splays her fingers on his chest. "Do you fear the same Nightlight?" She inquires. His breath hitches under her, "Do you worry you shall never marry? Never become a man?" The boy's arm slips away from her waist.

Seraphina doesn't know what drives her, but she doesn't think she'll regret it. Pushing herself up on Nightlight's chest, she causes the other to grunt in discomfort. Heart a flutter and body warm from their togetherness, she straddles the boy not caring that her nightgown rides up to her hips. "Who says we need to marry to become men and women?" She says. Smiling at his large eyes, the girl leans in and kisses him slowly. "Why don't we conquer our fears tonight?" She mumbles, placing well considered kisses all over his face and neck. Fingers toying with the ties on Nightlight's shirt, Seraphina utters, "Why don't we become a man and woman tonight?"

Nightlight stops her hands before they can wander any lower and slowly, he brushes them up her arms, over her shoulders, neck and finally rest on her cheeks; pulling just enough to make her look him in the eye. His gaze is searching hers and Seraphina knows he's looking for any doubt. Resolving to show none, the girl steals her self and mutters, "I'm serious." Nightlight's breath shudders and he nods, hands trembling as them come to tug down her gown's sleeves off her shoulders. Grinning, the younger teenager lets him; lets him touch and explore as her fingers rub soothingly at his shoulders and chest.

When his hands finally slips down to her hips, the girl gives a tug at his pants. "I may not know the exact mechanics, but I do believe you need those off." She smirks, blushing, Nightlight lifts his hips and allows her to help him slip them off. Once they get those off, it's only a matter of more kissing and touching before the boy turns away to tug his shirt off so they can be flush together. Breathing harder, feeling both hot and excited; Seraphina whispers, "are you ready?" Nightlight nods.

* * *

When they finish, Seraphina can't say it's what she expected; but, she enjoyed in none the less. Still laying on top of her what she would now call her lover, Seraphina tilts her head up to see the other teenager's half-lidded eyes focused solely on her. Smiling, she says to him, "That was fun." He grins a bit. "I think we need to do that again sometime."

Nightlight's hand wanders a bit lower than it was before and with a giggle, Seraphina slaps his wandering hand. "Not now!" She exclaims, "We almost woke little Perseus up towards the end there."

The boy sighs dramatically and she laughs. "Maybe tomorrow?" She suggests, "And the night after that? Maybe forever after even?" She knows she's being very open, but if the shining in his eyes are anything to go by, she thinks he's just as excited at all the nights they'll have to come as she is. Pulling the sheets over them, Seraphina exhales and it's not much later that they fall asleep.

She wakes up to little fingers prying at her eyes. "What is it little Tsar?" She grumbles.

"Why are you naked with Nightlight?" He asks.

Seraphina's eyes pop open and she stares at the little boy. "I was cold," she lies, "So I asked Nightlight to come sleep with me."

"But, why are you naked?" The boy demands.

"It's easier to share body heat that way, you know." She explains.

"Oh," he replies, looking like he doesn't believe her; however, he doesn't ask more questions.

Pushing him off her, Seraphina tells him, "Scoot, I need to get dressed." Looking to the door then, she says to her love-brother, "Don't tell your parents, okay?" The child frowns in confusion, but thankfully his loyalty to her causes him to nod. This makes the teenager breath out in relief as she shakes Nightlight awake. "Get dressed." She tells him as she slips from the sheets to clean up.

**Author's Note:**

> Just to clear a few things, I gave names to The Man in The Moon's parents, because they didn't have any; they're names are Orion and Ursa.


End file.
